Why are people so loyal to SRAM ?

[WaynejG]

SRAM were miles ahead for a good few years, but Shimano's new 12sp stuff has made them a contender again.

 

I'd be keen to try the new XT, but the local distro won't sell to anyone who's not willing to buy 150k worth of their stock on the first order, and there's no way a small shop can afford to push that much at one supplier when online discounters are selling often at less than cost...

 

The local SRAM distro is far more accommodating in terms of supply, which makes them the go-to for the smaller guys. And there are a lot of smaller guys.

 

SRAM also pushed the capabilities of their RD architecture a step too far with Eagle - the 11sp stuff is far more durable and better shifting. 12sp, if not set up exactly to spec, feels rubbish. This can easily be cured by reading the manual, but there seem to be a shortage of people who are up for that...

In my industry, the lack of reading skills is mind boggling and there is no shortage of manuals.

[Dubber]

 

 

SRAM also pushed the capabilities of their RD architecture a step too far with Eagle - the 11sp stuff is far more durable and better shifting. 12sp, if not set up exactly to spec, feels rubbish. This can easily be cured by reading the manual, but there seem to be a shortage of people who are up for that...

lol - given that I know the bare minimum I end up reading the manual and watching about 10 youtube videos.  Maybe that's why my system worked pretty well from day one 

[Martin PJ]

Check out Hambini's opinion of the SRAM GXP Crankset on YouTube and you'll realise that you're not alone with your opinion on their products.

Best thing about GXP cranks is that with the small ring adapter you can use a Shimano BB.

[Titleist]

I've never had a day's issue with Sram GX 1 x 12. Mine just works.

 

I hate the Sram Guide brakes on my bike though-useless crap and expensive to replace pads.

[Pieter1]

Using nx 11 on my new bike. First time to use Sram, I’m quite keen to try it but a little nervous. I’m a Shimano guy, even my fishing gear is all Shimano but at the price I got the group set for I could not turn it down.

[Wannabe]

Using nx 11 on my new bike. First time to use Sram, I’m quite keen to try it but a little nervous. I’m a Shimano guy, even my fishing gear is all Shimano but at the price I got the group set for I could not turn it down.

 

Been on NX11 for more than a year already. Not a single issue in more than 3500km of riding. Still on same Sunrace 11-46 cassette I replaced the Sram 11-42 with. Running 3 x alternating chains, all still well within spec.

Shifting is crisp, ratios are on point (32x11-46) and even my Guides are performing flawlessly.

 

I'm a happy Sram fanboy. 

[Hairy]

Been on NX11 for more than a year already. Not a single issue in more than 3500km of riding. Still on same Sunrace 11-46 cassette I replaced the Sram 11-42 with. Running 3 x alternating chains, all still well within spec.

Shifting is crisp, ratios are on point (32x11-46) and even my Guides are performing flawlessly.

 

I'm a happy Sram fanboy. 

I scoffed at my bike when it came with a 46t cassette .... now I see it as the best thing ever on a cassette

[Skubarra]

Been on NX11 for more than a year already. Not a single issue in more than 3500km of riding. Still on same Sunrace 11-46 cassette I replaced the Sram 11-42 with. Running 3 x alternating chains, all still well within spec.

Shifting is crisp, ratios are on point (32x11-46) and even my Guides are performing flawlessly.

 

I'm a happy Sram fanboy. 

 

I'm on NX12 for 8 months, same kilometers. I'm on my 3rd derailleur (now trying GX), cassette is worn out, chain lasted 6 months, shifting is occasionally crisp but often not.

 

Certainly not a happy Sram fanboy - clearly you are better at this cycling thing than me 

[Pieter1]

I'm on NX12 for 8 months, same kilometers. I'm on my 3rd derailleur (now trying GX), cassette is worn out, chain lasted 6 months, shifting is occasionally crisp but often not.

 

Certainly not a happy Sram fanboy - clearly you are better at this cycling thing than me

From what I’ve seen here the 12spd is a massive ballsup.

[Wannabe]

I'm on NX12 for 8 months, same kilometers. I'm on my 3rd derailleur (now trying GX), cassette is worn out, chain lasted 6 months, shifting is occasionally crisp but often not.

 

Certainly not a happy Sram fanboy - clearly you are better at this cycling thing than me  (got a better mechanic looking after the bike than you    )

 

 Nah, heard from a few people (mechanics) that the 12spd NX is a bit of a hit and miss, some works, some breaks. Therefore I'll stay with what I got, will just slowly upgrade to GX or higher when need arises.

[Headshot]

To be serious for once, I like both systems and have no difficulty adjusting to the way they work when I swop bikes. That said, if I went 12sp Id get XT all the way. The nice thing about my cheep Rapide rear hub is its relatively easy to change the freehub and they even do a microspline one now...

[ChrisF]

To be serious for once, I like both systems and have no difficulty adjusting to the way they work when I swop bikes. That said, if I went 12sp Id get XT all the way. The nice thing about my cheep Rapide rear hub is its relatively easy to change the freehub and they even do a microspline one now...

 

same this side .... using the 1x12 GX on my MTB, with mostly no issues ... on the odd ride I have to fine tune the barrel adjuster. 

 

Absolutely flawless 3x10 XT on my commuter ... sadly so ... looking for an excuse to upgrade .... 

 

1x11 SLX paired with a 11-46 Sunrace on Maritz's bike.  NO issues !!  And I installed and set it up at home in a few minutes .... no magic handshake or manuals needed to get the Shimano to work perfectly.

 

 

Stripping the bike down for a major service is MUCH easier with the 1x11 than with the SRAM 1x12 ...

 

 

may just go "back" to 1x11 SLX when time comes to replace components on my bike.  But that may be damned expensive as it would require a new hub, wheel rebuild, etc .....

 

 

 

 

 

even my LBS prefers Shimano ... 

[DieselnDust]

SRAM = Ford Mustang F150

Shimano = Toyota HiluxHaval Steed 5

 

 

there fixed it for you

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

as with all things, it's a case of confirmation bias, mostly. Both SRAM and Shimano produce some fantastic kit, and sometimes they produce a few lemons. Shimano with their ServoWave brakes giving a floating bite point, SRAM with the Guide piston retraction issue and the explody NX (fixed with a bit of Loctite) 

 

Point it, it's pointless saying one is better than the other overall. It's without question that Shimano owns the "budget" price point, thanks to the utterly fantastic performance of their Deore & SLX level components, both of which are equal to or below the price of NX. At the top end, though, I think SRAM has the edge with the AXS side of things which is a neater solution than the wired DI2 (in my opinion)

 

I'd still run SRAM brakes over Shimano, to be honest, as I prefer the modulation of the SRAM goodies over the instabite of the Shimano brakesets (Zee is an exclusion in this regard) 

 

Otherwise, as Droo has pointed out, Coolheat makes it more difficult for the smaller players in the market to stock Shimano, so there's a point of contention, there. Otherwise, run what you want. 

[DieselnDust]

Somewhere on pink bike there's a comment by an engineer that takes the biggest dump on the engineer that signed off on both pf30 and the new dub standard where he basically tells how ashamed he'd be of himself for signing off on products like that to go into the market.

 

Shimano may have been behind since late 2012 but they have not put a foot wrong with the products that made it to their clients

 

 

 

He took a dump on GXP not PF30 or Dub.

He did also make the statement that Cannondale P8ssed all over their own great design through their poor execution of both BB30 and PF30. Hambini makes no claims around DUB since it was very new to market when he made the video. I get it that you're a Shitmano dealer but lets get the facts right.

 

GXP is a poor design but one of two ways around Shimano's penchant for patenting centuries old engineering principles..The other way around it is Campagnolo's Hirth coupling design.

Cannondale use an old and simple tapered axle end and bolt design straight from the days when the cotter pin was discarded.

The single sided preload feature is not the problem but rather the difference in load carrying capacity of the non drive side bearings and that only the drive side bearing is preloaded. In 30mm and DUB axle applications the bearings are the same size and are both preloaded.

Edited January 14, 2020 by DieselnDust

[DieselnDust]

IMO if bike shops regularly mess up the installation of eagle groupsets (assuming they get the other setups right?) its not exactly a virtue -given the beating my groupset takes on the trails my preference would lean towards parts that are straightforward to install & maintain.

 

then you need to go back to 8 Speed